Marvell eyes tri-core processor for mobile devices

Marvell Technology Group is planning to launch a tri-core, ARM-based processor targeted at the lucrative mobile device market.

The new chip - dubbed Armada 628 - is expected to "focus" on providing higher performance per watt compared to earlier iterations of the processor.

According to Shara Tibken of Dow Jones Newswires, Marvell's unique tri-core design is expected to help facilitate more efficient switching and load balancing between the processor's other two cores.

However, as Tibken points out, Marvell's next-gen processor will debut in the shadow of fierce competition from rival industry heavyweights, including Nvidia (Tegra), Qualcomm (Snapdragon) and Samsung (Hummingbird).